Metallic vehicle-wheel.



V H. J. DONAHOE. METALLIC VEHICLE WHEEL APPLNAIIOH FILED OUT. 9, 1911.

Patented Feb. 20, 1912.

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II! w Attorneys HOE, a citizen of the United HEDLEY J HN nommon, or

omoeco, I'LLINoIs,

'ASSIGN'OR or O E-HALF To THEODORE C. TIEDEBOHL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

METALLIC VEHICLE-WHEEL:

I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 20, 1912,

Application filed October 9, 1 11. Serial No. 653,595.

To all whom it may concern:

-Be it known that I, HEDLEY JOHN DONA- States, and resi; dent of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Vehicle-\Vheels; and I do hereby declare that the following description of my said invention, taken in connection with the accompanying sheets of drawings, exact specification, which will enable others skilled in the art to which said inventionappertains to make and use the same.

-This invention has general reference to metallic vehicle wheels; and it consists, essentially, in the novel and peculiar combination of pa-rts and details of construc tion, as hereinafter first fully set forth and described, and then pointed out in the claim.

The object of this invention is the production of astrong, durable, serviceable, come aratively cheap, and effective vehicle Wheel formed entirely of metal in the process of casting, said vehicle wheel being adapted for use in all kinds of vehicles, such as carriages, wagons, automobiles, gun-carriages, etc., and

I constructed for operation with or without resilient tires.

To accomplish these desirable results, I construct a metallic wheel as shown in the preferred embodimentof my said invention,

. in the accompanying drawings already referred to, in which- Figure 1 is-a front elevation of the said vehicle wheel. Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the same on line mm of Fig. 1, part of the figure being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the central portion of the same, the figure being drawn on an-increased scale. Fig. iq-is a sectional view of one of the spokes, on. line z-z of Fi 1.

-Like parts are designated by the same symbols of reference in all the figures.

This wheel, in its preferred form, is produced entirely in a single piece of casting, preferably of a uniform low-carbon steel. It comprises a central hul! 12, which has a tapering bore 13, and which is externally screw threaded at both ends at let, 15, the

former screw-thread being adapted to receive the usual oil cap 16, and the latter screw-thread being designed to receive the closing cap 17. In the bore of the hub 12 there. 1s located-atapering sleeve 18, preferably made from a high-carbon steel forms a full, clear, and

slightly overlapping eachpther, as indi suitably two oppositely-tapering 2? designates the fixed rim or tread of the wheel. It is of approximately semicircular transverse section; and it has upon its outer periphery a central, outwardlyprojecting rib 24; and leadingfrom this rib and transversely to the periphery of said rim, a series of equally-spaced mudlugs 25, the mudlugs on one side of said central air nular rib 24 being staggered with reference to those on the opposite side thereof.- This rim 23 is connected to the hub 12 by two series of curved spokes 26,27, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the series of spokes 26 starting from one side ofthe median line of the hub, and the series 27 starting from the other'side thereof, both series of spokes being convergingly arranged so as to gradually merge one into the other and finally terminate in the inner surface of the rim in the same plane. These spokes are" curved in opposite directions, the series 26 all curving in the same series 27 all curving in the opposite direction. These spokes, being angular in re-' lat-ion to the plane of the wheel, it follows direction and the" 3 that while the two series of spokes are just in contact with each other at the hub, or

cated in Fig. 2, they gradually merge one into the other at their intersecting points thus forming an integral bond to the spokes at each intersecting point, so that a vehicle wheel constructediin' the manner described is extremely strong yet comparatively light, while atthe same time the wheel can be pro-v duced at a very reasonable cost. Atthe angles formed by the intersecting spokes where they cross each other nearest to the hub, there are formed punctured lugs 28, to which may be secured the brake-rim 29, Figs. 1 and 2, and at the second inter- I section of said spokes there are formedsimilar lugs 30, adapted to receive the usual driving sprocket wheel 31. 4 i

In cases where the wheel is fastened to the axle and the driving power applied toothe axle, I dispense with the roll er bearing in the hub and substitute for the sleeve 18 a sleeve having a bore sutticiently small to fit the spindle 22 by a close fit, the'wheel being secured to the spindle in any approved and efiicient manner. To retain this sleeve in the hub, I provide a number of fastening screws32, Fig. 3, or other suitable meansto accomplish the desired result.

It will now be observed that a wheel having'its hub, spokes and rim all formed in the process of casting, thus forming an integral body, the spokes being in two superposed sets gradually merging at their intersecting points one into the other, the spokes being curved and the curvature being in opposing directions as heretofore stated, possess the quality of being extremely strong, light yet flexible, is not liable to rupture caused by jars and jolts over rough roads and pavements, nor by the ever-varying expansion and contraction due to the influence of heat, thereby specially fitting this wheel for extensive travel in any country, over every class of roads, and at all seasons of the year With the positive assurance that accidents and delays will not be caused by a failure of the wheels.

It will be further observed that this allmetal wheel'is also well adapted to receive the extremely wide treads that are a neces sity where the vehicle is used upon sandy, loose, or wet soil, a facttlfatwill be readily understood by persons skilled in the art to which this invention appertains.

in the construction of this wheel, the -nec-' essary strength of the spokes is secured by their being made rather wide as con'ipared with their thickness, as illustrated in Fig. 4, thereby securing graceful outlines with am )le strength.

1* aving thusi'nlly described this invention, I claim as new and desire to secure to me by Letters Patent of the United States- A vehicle wheel formed entirely of one piece of cast metal, con'iprising, a fixed rim or tread, a double series of spokes, and a central hub, one series of said spokes being curved in one direction and the other series of spokes being curved in the opposite direction, said spokes inteiisecting one another at a nniltiplicity of points, said spokes slightly overlapping each other at the hub and then gradually merging into each other and finally all terminating at the rim in the same plane, whereby said spokes are integrally connected to each otherv at each intersecting point, there being at the angles oi' the intersecting spokes punctured. lugs'constructed to receive removable attachments, as-described. s w

In testimony theft-*1 claim "the" foregoing as my invention l'have heretinto' set. my -hand' in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HEDLEY JOHN DONAHOE.

Witnesses MlOIlAEL J. STARK,

FRIEDA T. LEBERSTEIN. 

